Cormorant eats foot long pike

[Lucky_Eddy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=512830&in_page_id=1770

[JJ]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=512830&in_page_id=1770

[snot rocket]

that is pretty wild.

             Snot Rocket

[seaweed01]

And - they won't let us shoot them!!!

[crayfishbob]

And - they won't let us shoot them!!!

I hooked one once while fishing ! It was great ! The stupid thing was flying, but underwater. I diddn't shoot it because all I had was my bare hands.

[powdiddy]

not one to just want to kill things off but i could make an exception with those d@#n things.

[AirManCam]

Thats pretty wicked..

[Simmy04548]

That was crazy. Should'nt count though, it was open water!!

[GAMBELL]

I wish I could find the video of a cormorant swallowing a lamprey eel.  It kept spitting it up and trying to swallow it again. 

[JJ]

I wish I could find the video of a cormorant swallowing a lamprey eel.  It kept spitting it up and trying to swallow it again. 

Here ya go:http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=a35WRp5gmwo

[NY TROOPER]

I know the article said that it was a northern, but that fish looked like a Tiger Muskie to me.  Anyone else notice?  Anyone really care?   Those birds took over an island on the Hudson River where I fish.  Their crap is so acidic that it killed all of the vegetation underneath the trees they roost in.  As far as I am concerned these birds rank up there with coyotes and pedophiles!

[ChiefCatchemall]

I hate them damn things. They eat so much fish. Wish we were allowed to shoot the things

[gumpy2]

I know the article said that it was a northern, but that fish looked like a Tiger Muskie to me.  Anyone else notice?  Anyone really care?   Those birds took over an island on the Hudson River where I fish.  Their crap is so acidic that it killed all of the vegetation underneath the trees they roost in.  As far as I am concerned these birds rank up there with coyotes and pedophiles!

I was going to say the same thing....looks like one less tiger musky out there....

[JJ]

Pics are from Britain, not sure if they have tigers there, but check this pike out:



More here:http://www.pacgb.co.uk/aboutpike/oddities.htm

[JJ]

English river pike:

[hamlin big daddy]

I hate them d**n things. They eat so much fish. Wish we were allowed to shoot the things

Just another example of our state and local government not nipping the issue in the bud. Shoot the fricken birds. I'm not a rocket scientist or anything but how else are we going to solve the problem. No, lets wait, talk about it, all the while things are getting worst.  Remember that when you concider buying your next hunting and fishing licence. Don't do it. Break their backs. Do gooding fools!!!!!!   

[jayswimmer09]

i dont blame it i bet that pikes mom ate some of its babies in the spring, its just payback

[powdiddy]

just like coyotes lets radio collar 100 of them and let them run rampid just so we can see how far they travel.then wonder where all the turkeys and deer are going.

[Bassfishin1983]

I knew that they ate bass up to 14in but never thought they could eat a whole pike. that is crazy.

[hamlin big daddy]

just like coyotes lets radio collar 100 of them and let them run rampid just so we can see how far they travel.then wonder where all the turkeys and deer are going.

There again what'sthe problem with this. It's the DEC/Goverment. Stop buying the liciences. Break their backs.

[WHITETAIL111]

I used to duck hunt and whacked them anytime I had the chance.  Know its not right...but neither is ignoring the problem?

[hamlin big daddy]

I used to duck hunt and whacked them anytime I had the chance.  Know its not right...but neither is ignoring the problem?

Hope everyone whacks them when given the opportunity. Good shooting folks.

[cnypanfisher]

I talked to a guy last year that was from the USDA that was hunting them last year off Dickinson island in Bernhards bay. I posted this info on myfishfinder, i'll go look up the post. The guy told us the biggest walleye they found in a bird was 15" legal fish, and also biggest perch was 14".

cnypanfisher

http://www.myfishfinder.com/fishing_forum/index.php?topic=18859.msg206211#msg206211

I'm usually in the Oneida lake thread, but I thought you would all enjoy this 1.

My fishing buddy and I decided to take a rental boat out for some evening perch action last night about 3:30 or so. We left from Bernhards bay and were on our way to Cleveland at a slow 3hp pace. We were just going around Dickinson's island when we heard 2 shotgun blasts coming from the grass on the island. I looked to my left and there was a cormorant flying kinda funny then it crash landed in the water about 20 yards from our boat. We looked at the weed bed + there was this big guy waving at us, + we gave a wave back and kept on trucking. We then started the conversation as what we should do about the cormorant "poacher" on the island. We were perplexed, you know on the 1 hand we said ah screw it, how many duch hunters kill cormorants. On the other hand the guy was pretty close to us when he shot and scared the crap out of us, mebbe we should call TIPP-DEC. After a few minutes the wildlife management boat arrived from Cleveland way, and went into the buoys and started talking to the big guy doing the shooting. He then went and picked the bird up, and drove out to sppok some more toward the shooter I guess. We were perplexed at the least.

About an hour later the guy in the boat and the shooter pulled up alongside our rickety craft and apologized for shooting so close to us. He said the bird was heading straight for us, which we did not want to hear. I asked him where I could get a cormorant hunting license, but he laughed and said he works for the USDA. I then asked how big the fish were in the cormorants they were shooting. The biggest perch they found so far was 13 1/2 inches, the biggest walleye was a legal 15" fish. They then took off for Godfrey point to call it a day, I asked how many he bagged today + it was only 1. I hope they go out hunting again today.

So if you see anybody out there cormorant hunting, it is just our government trying to do the right thing. Although I think you can kill more with a bottle of vegetable oil in the spring for about 2 dollars and a boat ride. At least I won't feel guilty when I buy my next fishing license, i'd like to think I am buying that guy a box of shotgun shells. :-)


cnypanfisher

[taxi1]

I won't hestitate to shoot one if it ever lands in any of my fish ponds. Not only would they be taking hard earned money off the table of my family (part of my living is raising fish), but they could potentially spread the deadly VHS virus. That said the feds are giving out permits to fish farmers and I think in many locales they look the other way when people shoot them. But don't quote me on that.

On a lighter note here is the perfect gun for them.  Anyone know if it's legal? 

&feature=related

[hamlin big daddy]

Again why does it take the USDA to shoot these pests. Millions of tax dollars spent. Treat them like crows and open a season.

[taxi1]

Again why does it take the USDA to shoot these pests. Millions of tax dollars spent. Treat them like crows and open a season.

Two words: Job Security!

[NY Newbie]

They are a disgusting bird all the way around. Would love to punch some steel thru em and let it sink if we could

[seaweed01]

After reading the last two pages, I'm glad most everyone thinks like I do, concerning the comorants. (A good
one, is one that cannot eat any more fish.)

[WHITETAIL111]

Don't get me wrong.  I don't condone doing what I did, but one of the ones I took one day just so happened to pop his ugly head up very close and didn't notice me in the blind.  Well...I'm sorry, but when I saw him trying to engulf the 8" largemouth....I'd had enough....so...I leveled his A$$.  I like to think the bass got away, but I'm not sure?  All I know was that was the last gamefish he was going to eat!!  I won't look a gifthorse in the mouth.  Next time I'll do the same thing.  I hate those things.  I see more of those things eating our precious baby fluke and flounder on the coast than you can shake a stick at.  Each time I say...man if I only had my shotgun.  Do what you want in my opinion when it comes to those things, but Hamlin has it right...open a season like crows... and I'll be all over that.

[fishman79]

Just another example of our state and local government not nipping the issue in the bud. Shoot the fricken birds. I'm not a rocket scientist or anything but how else are we going to solve the problem. No, lets wait, talk about it, all the while things are getting worst.  Remember that when you concider buying your next hunting and fishing licence. Don't do it. Break their backs. Do gooding fools!!!!!!   

obviously a perfect example of a person ignorant of the facts shooting his mouth off and badmouthing the folks who work very hard dealing with this problem of cormorants. The DEC has been doing everything they can (you try getting permits to kill federally protected migrating birds!) for close to 10 years to control these birds. no, we will never be able to irradicate them, they are protected and do have their place in the ecosystem. But they have been severely reduced by oiling, shooting, attling, and harassment.  the little galoo colony is significantly smaller than it was in years past.  I can't stand the birds either, but at least i've done my research at to what has been/is being done for control.
why can't everyone seem to get the idea that most DEC folks are hunters and fishermen too, and took their jobs because they want to HELP. they sure didn't persue their career for the money! and not buying your license is just going to hurt you, that money funds programs that protect your hunting and fishing resources. the "do good" projects will get funded anyhow by programs like the EPA.
One more piece of advice, folks should stop admitting and bragging on a public forum about shooting cormorants, which is a FEDERAL crime.